55-and-up community working to reverse city's decision to allow a hotel near their homes

Even though the city has decided to move forward with a controversial hotel project, residents at the 55-and-up community are fighting until the end, said Sandra Peterson-Hardt, chairwoman of the Leisureville Ad-Hoc Committee.

"There are so many things that make this monster hotel incompatible next to a one-story condo," said Peterson-Hardt.

On Monday, more than 50 residents of Palm Beach Leisureville in Boynton Beach discussed the city's October decision to move forward with the construction of a 93-room, four-story Holiday Inn Express & Suites near their homes. Residents also discussed the lawsuit they filed earlier this month, asking the city to reverse its decision.

According to the lawsuit, Leisureville is arguing that part of the hotel is improperly zoned and that the city didn't not follow constitutional procedures during public hearings. More than 1,400 residents in the 2,500 household community have signed petitions against the hotel's development.

At Monday's meeting, residents said that the hotel at 2001 W. Ocean Drive would bring more noise, drainage issues and traffic to their once quiet community.

Resident Carmelann Powell is worried about how the hotel will affect her condo.

Powell was sitting on her back porch working on her computer last month when she said she felt her building shaking.

"I thought the building was hit by something, but it was just a dump truck — not a crane or anything — just one truck going to the hotel site," she said. "I'm concerned about the stability of the buildings as they're more than 50 years old."

She's also concerned about her property value decreasing.

"I moved to Florida from New York because I wanted to look up every day and see an open sky and sunlight and now I'm going to live in the shadow of a hotel," she said.

She's thought about selling her condo, but is hoping that the developer, Hardial Sibia, will put in an assisted living facility or medical office in place of the hotel.

Sibia couldn't be reached for comment on Tuesday, but has said that he is determined to build on property that he's owned for more than 10 years.

"Leisureville can't tell us what to do -- it's my land. I paid for it, I'm going with my city zoning and ordinances," he said in October.

Still, Leisureville residents haven't given up hope.

"We're not stopping until we win… and I believe we will win," said Shirley Casa, a Realtor and Leisureville resident for more than 20 years.

Mayor Jerry Taylor said he couldn't comment on a pending case and City Attorney Jim Cherof did not return calls.